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"I'm Not Talking to Myself, I'm Having a Parent-Teacher Conference!": A Study of Literacy Practices and Mediation within Homeschooling Families

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Date Issued:
2015
Abstract/Description:
Homeschooling is a dynamic learning and living community producing a growing percentage of our nation's college-ready students. Serious academic studies of homeschooling remain scarce, and those that exist tend to come out of sociology and anthropology. Through an analysis of the literacy practices that constitute the work of homeschooling, this study offers findings and conclusions relevant to current discourses in the fields of literacy studies and rhetoric and composition. These include discussions on the ways technology is reshaping and individualizing traditional models of literacy learning and composing, as well as the growing research on the specific actions taken by literacy brokers when mediating mainstream literacy practices to novices.This study borrows theoretical and methodological concepts provided by the New Literacy Studies in order to understand the ways in which two homeschool families with high school students learn and practice various literacies. Data collection methods included interviews, observations, and participant-produced literacy logs. I took an ecological approach to data analysis that required identifying the specific literacy practices and events of the participants and attempting to situate them within the context of the homeschooling movement and culture at large.A primary finding of the study is that homeschool mothers' role in their students' literacy practices often resembles the work of what scholars term literacy brokers. These mothers actively mediate a wide variety of mainstream or institutional practices and values to their children. While current discussions of literacy brokers detail their actions of advocacy,guidance, and assistance, this study contributes to our understanding of literacy brokers by highlighting homeschool mothers' actions of delegation and customization within the mediation process.
Title: "I'm Not Talking to Myself, I'm Having a Parent-Teacher Conference!": A Study of Literacy Practices and Mediation within Homeschooling Families.
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Name(s): Corlew, Joshua, Author
Rounsaville, Angela, Committee Chair
Roozen, Kevin, Committee Member
Pigg, Stacey, Committee Member
University of Central Florida, Degree Grantor
Type of Resource: text
Date Issued: 2015
Publisher: University of Central Florida
Language(s): English
Abstract/Description: Homeschooling is a dynamic learning and living community producing a growing percentage of our nation's college-ready students. Serious academic studies of homeschooling remain scarce, and those that exist tend to come out of sociology and anthropology. Through an analysis of the literacy practices that constitute the work of homeschooling, this study offers findings and conclusions relevant to current discourses in the fields of literacy studies and rhetoric and composition. These include discussions on the ways technology is reshaping and individualizing traditional models of literacy learning and composing, as well as the growing research on the specific actions taken by literacy brokers when mediating mainstream literacy practices to novices.This study borrows theoretical and methodological concepts provided by the New Literacy Studies in order to understand the ways in which two homeschool families with high school students learn and practice various literacies. Data collection methods included interviews, observations, and participant-produced literacy logs. I took an ecological approach to data analysis that required identifying the specific literacy practices and events of the participants and attempting to situate them within the context of the homeschooling movement and culture at large.A primary finding of the study is that homeschool mothers' role in their students' literacy practices often resembles the work of what scholars term literacy brokers. These mothers actively mediate a wide variety of mainstream or institutional practices and values to their children. While current discussions of literacy brokers detail their actions of advocacy,guidance, and assistance, this study contributes to our understanding of literacy brokers by highlighting homeschool mothers' actions of delegation and customization within the mediation process.
Identifier: CFE0005774 (IID), ucf:50053 (fedora)
Note(s): 2015-08-01
M.A.
Arts and Humanities, Writing and Rhetoric
Masters
This record was generated from author submitted information.
Subject(s): literacy -- literacy mediation -- homeschooling -- education -- literacy brokers
Persistent Link to This Record: http://purl.flvc.org/ucf/fd/CFE0005774
Restrictions on Access: public 2015-08-15
Host Institution: UCF

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